Anzac turns up in the nick of time to make a......GOOD SAVE
Sighting of flames and waved bed sheets on the wheelehouse roof of an inter-island trader led HMAS Anzac to pluck 15 men from the sea in a dramatic nick of time rescue near Singapore last week.


Kiwis say thank you
Commander David Hedgley, the commanding officer of the New Zealand fleet oiler HMNZS Endeavour stood on the deck of his ship at Fleet Base East and in his loudest voice shouted “thank you from the bottom of our hearts”.


Further help for WO Chill
The Defence section of the Australian High Commsission in Suva (LTCOL Ron Morley) has answered the call from CO’s HMAS Cairns and HMAS Tarakan by co-ordinating the donation a Fiji rugby national football jersey, autographed by national 15s and 7s players.


Departing is a lot to bear
The RAN’s 250 tonne patrol boat, HMAS Fremantle, has departed her home base, Darwin, to help with Australia’s peace monitoring duties in the Solomon Islands.


Sailors: have your say
Sailors and civilians have been invited to have their say at the 2004 Navy Symposium planned for HMAS Waterhen on September 29 and 30.

Taking care of some old business
The Clearance Divers of HMAS Diamantina (LCDR Pete Bartlett) have been keeping themselves busy during the ship’s most recent deployment in the Solomon Islands Utilising their skills, the clearance divers have been rendering assistance to the local inhabitants in the disposal of WWII ordnance.

Staying cool
Eligible ADF members in Darwin will continue to receive air conditioning allowance following the decision of the Defence People Committee to extend payment of the allowance beyond the end of the 2003-2004 financial year.

First chance to glimpse future
Introducing NUSHIP Armidale - indeed an impressive “miss” even without her final “dress.”

Drink driving a foolish game
A sailor from HMAS Stirling was lucky to escape unscathed from an accident between the member’s vehicle and a metal light post on Garden Island in the early hours of Saturday August 14.

Test results encouraging
The ADF are leading the way with drug testing with recent results indicating that most personnel are doing the right thing.

Driving: how many drinks are too many....
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a measurement of the amount of alcohol in your body.

Bagging a lift
The United States, Denmark and Singapore have shown interest in a Tasmanian designed and made mine lifting bag, the Minister for Defence, Senator Robert Hill, said last week.

Top honours for Navy star
A Royal Australian Navy officer has been awarded one of the United States highest awards, the Bronze Star.

Weapons workshop
If our western-based warships are the sharp edge of the fleet, then this workshop headed by CPOET Trevor Lovelock and POET Sam Potts is the stone that keeps the blade keen.

Yemeni boats sail for ammo test
Patrol boats like this one are likely to be regular visitors to HMAS Stirling over the next few months. Austal is building a total of ten of the 37.5 aluminium metre craft for the Republic of Yemen.

Combat systems quantum leap
The Aegis air warfare system has been chosen as the core of the combat system for Australia’s new air warfare destroyers.

Hanging around in Sydney Harbour
The procedures for being rescued from the sea by a helicopter should be known by all sailors.

Wally's back in business
HMAS Westralia is back out there - doing what she does best.

Brushing around
Top oral hygiene is a must in the Royal Australian Navy. Before deployment sailors have their teeth checked not wanting to be in agony from a cavity when their minds must be concentrating on their naval role.

More military to go intel
More military personnel are likely to be assigned to Defence’s intelligence agencies as a result of the Federal Government accepting all the recommendations of a report into Australia’s five intelligence agencies.

On the road again
By MIDN Danny Redondo It’s been a long road back for the officers and crew of HMAS Launceston (LCDR Paul Koerber) following a five month maintenance period at Darwin Ship Repair and Engineering (DSRE).

Money in the bag
Over the coming weeks Navy News will be presenting you with a series of four articles on the benefits of salary packaging.

Viking to battle fish poachers
The civilian operated but armed Oceanic Viking will soon be patrolling the Southern Ocean to deter fish poachers.

NISC recives facelift
A considerable investment has been made on upgrading the Navy Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) with the expectation healthier and fitter sailors and Defence civilians will result.

Briefs

Arunta unearths local talent
A break from Relex duties recently revealed just how talented the HMAS Arunta crew really is.

Empty wharves make no noise
Looking at the empty FBW wharves in the attached photograph Commander Phil Orchard, CO HMAS Stirling, could be forgiven for musing: “Mention an Open Day and all the ships and submarines disappear when I need them! Come back guys, all is forgiven”.

RAN trust fund on the move
The RAN Relief Trust Fund (RANRTF) has moved location and will be closed for a short time.

Orange VS Blue
More than 1200 defence sailors and civilian aviators from two nations have successfully completed one of the largest exercises in Australian waters - Exercise Singaroo 2004.

Dili dinner raises funds
A dinner at the HMAS Kuttabul wardroom, hosted by the Chief of Navy, VADM Chris Ritchie and attended by the “first lady” of East Timor, Kirsty Sword Gusmao, last month, raised $40,000 to upgrade the facilities in the children’s ward of the Dili National Hospital.

A ball of a time
Eighteen RAN and RAAF pilots swapped their flying suits dinner suits earlier this year.

Going casual for research
Fundraising for children’s medical research, the annual Jeans for Genes day, proved an outstanding success around the country and particularly in Sydney.

One good deed
The Defence Special Needs Support Group (DSNSG) has received a surprise gift of $500.

Coastwatch sends out surveillance call
Private companies have been invited to tender for a series of contracts for surveillance of Australia’s 37,000km coastline and massive maritime zone from 2007 onwards.

Keeping harm at arms length
An accident resulting in a gruesome injury was averted in Darwin recently by a keen-eyed Petty Officer.

Hot and steamy battle of strength
It’s always hot and steamy on Christmas Island and the day of the Army-Navy Challenge was exception.